Nasty Spring Snowstorm Affecting Flights In And Out Of Chicago

Just thought I’d get the word out… Chicago is getting smacked with a spring snowstorm. I just went outside and it’s nearly white-out conditions outside.

The FAA says:

Due to WEATHER / SNOW-ICE, there is a Traffic Management Program in effect for traffic arriving Chicago OHare International Airport, Chicago, IL (ORD). This is causing some arriving flights to be delayed an average of 2 hours and 15 minutes.

MSNBC says that over 350 flights have already been canceled at O’Hare, so be sure to call your airline and see what’s up if you’re headed in or out of Chicago. If you’re already stuck at O’Hare, smile, the AP is taking photos (seen above).

“Travelers catch a nap at Chicago’s O’Hare International airport Friday, March 21, 2008. An unseasonable snow storm moving across northern Illinois has caused the cancellations of about 350 flights at O’Hare.”

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Milwaukee has been closed all day as well and is not expected to open until tomorrow. That puts at least two out of three of the hubs in the upper midwest out of service. In short, you are not flying today.

Due to WEATHER / SNOW-ICE, there is a Traffic Management Program in effect for traffic arriving Chicago OHare International Airport, Chicago, IL (ORD). This is causing some arriving flights to be delayed an average of 2 hours and 15 minutes.

In other words, add 2 hours and 15 minutes of wait time to the 3 hours you already expect going in our out of O’Hare.

Thanks for turning a helpful post about the weather for people travelling on Easter weekend into another way to dispel and argue with the scientific research ever about global warming! … And with the brilliant, if slightly overused, ‘Well, it’s cold today, so global warming’s a myth!’ argument. No good deed goes unpoliticized, I guess. Stay warm, everybody!

I live in the Chicagoland area and people tell me they’ve never seen worse road conditions here. It’s been snowing since early morning and the plows still have to come- more than 12 hours later. Cars are getting stuck everywhere.

Anyway, given this information, I would say it’s gonna be a long time before O’hare “catches up” on its delayed flights.

I always feel bad for folks stuck in an airport: the seats uncomfortable, the food overpriced and you can’t get a moments rest for fear someone will jack you in your sleep. In a perfect world, there would be comfy beds and hot food for stranded passengers. Le sigh.

@ceejeemcbeegee (just debatin’ not hatin’): It gets even better when you are stranded at one. I ended up sleeping at LAX last year (and was one of only ~3 people stranded in the whole airport). The worst part about trying to sleep is that nice soft music that you hear during the day is REALLY LOUD when there are not human noises to drown it out.

One tip that many of you may benefit from —
When weather problems strike a city in your itinerary, airlines often issue change fee waivers, and this can be a very helpful way to make changes to your ticket at no cost — even unaffected portions later that you wanted to change but didn’t because of a non-refundable ticket or penalties.
So for example, scheduled to fly through Chicago today and the airline has issued a waiver policy? Take advantage of it to change both today’s flight and your return to the day you actually wanted at the same time.

@hi:
Actually, that’s sort of true.
The worst snow & ice storms are usually south of Chicago from the Texas Panhandle, up through the Ohio River valley.
Global warming has pushed those storms north this year where they collide with the colder Arctic air.
The moisture that the snow requires comes from the Gulf of Mexico. The Alberta Clippers that come from the northwest of here drop just a couple of inches of light, fluffy snow, not the heavy wet stuff that fell yesterday & continues today.
A really cold winter often has less snow than a warmer one because of a lack of moisture. That will probably change as the Arctic ice cap disappears in winter 50 years from now.